Ornamental roof or awning



Nov. 5, 1940. T. c. McPHI-:RsoN

vORNAMENTAI.. ROOF OR AWNING Filed April 18l 1940 I r--r- Patented Nov. 5, 1940 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE ORNAMENTAL ROOF OR AWNING Thomas C. McPherson, New Brighton, Pa.

Application April 18, 1940, Serial No. 330,420

1 Claim.

This invention relates to ornamental roofs or awnings, and in general, aims to provide animproved awning or canopy of a semi-permanent construction which will withstand the effects of the weather, particularly wind, and which will have a striking and ornamental appearance.

Fig. l is a top plan View;

Fig. 2 is a vertical section on line 2-2 of Fig. 1;

Fig. 3 is a vertical section on line 3--3 of Fig. 1;

Fig. 4 is a fragmentary plan view from underside; and

Fig. 5 is a fragmentary perspective view of a modification.

Referring particularly to the drawing, an awning or canopy is shown comprising a rigid frame made of longitudinal slats 5 and cross bars 6 screwed to slats 5. A sheet of prepared flexible roofing 'l is laid over the frame and is secured to the frame by strips 8, of wood or the like, the strips 8 extending crosswise of the frame (like bars 6) but on top of the roong l. Each strip 8 preferably is about as long as the roofing is wide and is laid parallel to the cross bars 6 and equidistant between bars 6. Screws 9 secure each strip 8 to the several slats 5, said screws of course passing through the roofing sheet. Thus the roong, the frame and the slats form a unitary, rigid structure which may be supported upon poles or the like in iront of windows, doors, etc.

A special feature of the construction is its ornamental appearance. The strips 8 may be painted a color which contrasts' strongly with the background formed by the sheet of roong; and the latter may either be painted, on its top surface, or may be left in its natural color, according to the taste or whim of the user. If the strips 8 are painted a light color, and are properly proportioned and spaced, they will simulate the (Cl. 10S-7) the light stripes of a conventional canvasl awning. As the yroofing sheet is laid'over cross bars 6 and is under strips 8, it has a wavy contour, as shown, and this contour casts shadows which heighten the ornamental appearance of the awn- 5 ing. As the described awning may be quite rigid, it withstands the force of a considerable wind, and as it is made of materials which will weather far better than canvas, it will have a life several times that of ordinary awnings, and will be more 10 ornamental throughout its life.

In Fig. 5 I show a slightly modied construction, wherein the strips 8 are arranged in pairs, the strips of each pair being closely adjacent and parallel though slightly spaced apart. The strips l5 of each pair `may be painted in contrasting colors, which enhances the appearance of the awning.l In fact, the construction of Fig. 5 may be much more ornamental than that of Figs. 1-4, and the appearance is more easily varied, since 20 there are twice as many painted strips 8. n

The invention is not limited tb the two forms herein described and shown, but may assume other forms within the scope of the appended claim.

Having described a preferred embodiment, what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

A semi-permanent awning or roof construction comprising, in combination, a rigid frame comprising longitudinal membersi and spaced cross bars of substantial thickness on top of the longitudinal members and secured thereto; a flexible sheet oi prepared roofing lying on the frame, and having a wavy contour because of the cross bars over which it lies; .a plurality of parallel strips laid on top of the sheet of roong and each being located in one of the depressions or troughs of the sheet of roofing; and means to secure the strips to the frame.

THOMAS C. MCPHERSON. 

